~ To get you through the Arch and beyond…

Bouncing back from Rejection

After months of waiting to hear back from Teach for America, January 21st finally came and the time had come to check my final status. I am sure you can guess the outcome (hint: look at the blog title). I was not accepted, which is a nicer way of saying I was rejected. Rejection in any form is never an easy thing to stomach. It makes you feel sad, angry, upset, and well you know the rest. After a few days of sulking and talking to my friends and family, I realized that sometimes things do not work out the way you want them to, even though you really want them to work out that way, like really, with all your heart. I cannot pretend like it still does not bother me (I am still a little bitter about the situation), because everyone who talked to me knows that I really did want it. So what do I take away from all of this?

I think that one of the most important things that I learned was that you should always have a back up plan for all your plans. While I was applying for Teach for America I got so caught up in applying, that I did not want to think about what I would do if I did not get accepted into the corps. I truly felt that I would be a great addition to the TFA team and not getting selected was just not an option for me, which is not to say that this type of attitude is not helpful when applying. It was my determination and hard work ethic that helped me get as far as I did in the interview process. The only thing that I left out was what I was going to do if I did not get accepted. If I had done this, then I probably would not have been so disappointed and would not have felt like “well, what do I do now?” Instead, I would have had the attitude of “well, that is a little disappointing, but good thing I looked into x, y, and z programs that will be great to apply to.”

So what programs am I looking into now? Since last August I was so caught up in being a part of Teach for America that I did not stop to really think about all the options I wanted to possibly partake in and what programs I fit the best in. Even though you may be interested in a program, it does not mean that you will belong or will mesh well with the program. Begin a good fit for the program is just as important because it will make your experience all the more better. Now that I have had time to stop and think, I have found that my options range from joining City Year, to teaching English abroad. I have not committed to any of these programs, but this time I want to make sure that I have many options and ones that fit my personality best.

So, while you guys are out there trying to figure out what it is you want to do after graduation, just remember that rejection is likely, but do not let it get you down. There are so many other things that you can do and, who knows, you may end up doing that for the rest of your life. Good luck out there.

Here are some of the programs I am looking into for those who are interested:

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2 thoughts on “Bouncing back from Rejection”

I know this post is a few months old, but I found this blog when searching for TFA application tips on Google!!

I’m sorry to hear you did not get in 😦 I hope you found what you wanted to do. I just graduated from public univ this year too. I wish I had heard of TFA sooner, because there is only ONE deadline left! I literally only found out about it a couple days ago. I’m panicking. I’m writing my cover letter, but am worried that it’s overly general and cliche. I’m definitely looking for backup plans like you say; I’m afraid I’m at a disadvantage since I didn’t go to a top school and don’t have much leadership experience. That 12-15% acceptance rate is daunting.